For those who know Gloria, my barred rock, who has a major stink eye glare, a stubborn attitude and is a rescued hen with a leg problem.... she recently had become really sick. Sicker than I have ever seen her before (thats saying alot, that girl has had a lot of problems throughout her life.)

To sum up her life, when she was a pullet, she was abandoned in a small pen crammed with 15 other chickens, and to this day only Penny (my other blind hen who is very healthy right now) is alive from that bunch, as far as I know. A friend of ours rescued all the chickens, and brought them to her ranch, where she owns horses. From what we know, one of Gloria's feet was stepped on by a horse. It has always been twisted and had problems, from scabs, to maggots, to scaly leg mites and who knows what. She and Penny wouldn't of survived well there, with horses around, so we took them in along with another totally blind hen, named Hazel (she passed away a year ago) We have been raising them along with other special needs chickens since October of 2010. She has always, always pulled through everything life could throw at her. (If I made a list of what she has seen and gone through, it would be very long, longer than you'd want 1 special chicken like Gloria to go through.)

3 days ago, we came home to find her laying down in the water dish on a cold 40 degree day. She was chilled to the bone and shivering. We brought her in and kept her warm, and after a few hours we put her in the coop for another night with the other hens. We didn't know it was so serious, until the next morning (today) She stumbled out of the coop and yet again fell into the water dish when she tried to dip her head and drink. All day, she stayed inside with us. For the first 6 hours, it was torture for us. (Me and Gloria.) She was in a acoma, it seemed. Heavy breathing, shallow breaths, not eating or drinking, cold and shivering and not opening her eyes or moving. I thought within hours she would be gone. Those 6 hours, I was crying. Crying, because she was one of the first chickens i'd ever owned, and one of the best. Crying, because I loved her and over the past 2 years have hated to see her in pain. Crying, because (once again) i knew there was nothing i could do.

Finally, around 4 oclock 2 days ago, she woke up. Eyes popped open, flapping her wings and trying to escape her box with some angry clucks and stink eye glares. We took her out onto a towel and gave her some water with apple cider vinegar. That darn chicken drank a whole cup of water, but no food. She was refusing eggs, cut up apples, vegatables and pellets. She was in her box, wrapped up in towels with warm water bottles nestled into the blankets, and a heater blowing on her.

Yesterday, she seemed to be making a full recovery! She was eating and drinking alot, going the bathroom and ran around outside with the other girls for a while. She put the 3 young girls in their place, like she always does as flock leader. She walked over to Penny..... and nuzzled her feathers, like she always had done. That was the last time she would ever see Penny, and I think she knew that. I brought her inside and put her in her box with warm water bottles, and offered more food. She refused it. It seemed she ate and drank so much this morning, only because she needed that energy to go say her goodbyes to her flock. I said goodnight to her last night, and I went to bed.

This morning, I came out and found Gloria was passed on. She was in her box, lying down in a comfortable position. I can only hope she passed peacefully in her last days, and that she knew she was loved and will never be forgotten as my little stink eye chicken.

This was Gloria, Penny and Hazel on their first day home.
For the first 6 months, she was so friendly and happy, to everyone.
Inseperable sisters.
She was quite a unique girl.
My little Glory Baby.
She was so happy and healthy when we first got her, unlike the past few months.
Penny and her would sit on our porch and catch some rays.
She loved to sit at our back door and watch us cook and do stuff.... it seemed like we were goldfish in a tank.
She was a beautiful hen.
The chickens would often block the doorway when my dog wanted to come in.
She loved to dig our garden up for us in the spring.
She never let anyone, anyone take her sunspot.
Gloria is a one of a kind hen. She took care of the special needs hens, she guided them and cuddled them and to this day, I had never once seen her peck or be mean to Penny or any of my other disabled girls.
She acted like the queen bee back then, like she owned the place. Dignified, you could say.
I love this picture, Gloria was cuddling Penny and when I approached to take a picture, Hazel jumped up to stand guard over them.
Gloria loved to walk in our cram packed sheds all the time and peck at strange things and glare at things that she didn't understand.
She was a mother, a grandmother and a protector.
Sleeping in the dirt on sunny days.
This black bird is Gloria's daughter. Barred rock and something else, and below her is Gloria's grand-chicks.
She stood guard over the newcomers, and didn't let anyone hurt them.
This picture was taken a few weeks ago, she loved to dustbathe in the sun.
On rainy days, she would stay under her favorite bush with one of her friends.
The ultimate stink eye queen.
She always made me laugh.
Baldie. She started getting bare on the side of her head because of a fungal infection.
Nobody bossed her around.
Nobody messes with Gloria.
This was one of the first pictures I ever took of her. Isn't she cute?
My bunny went right up to her, and unlike the other hens, she didn't peck her. She just glared at her, as if to say, "You're blocking my sun. Move it."
She had such pretty eyes.
"What did you say!? No mealworms!? Unacceptable!"
Stretching out her legs.
My little girl...
As i've said before, she liked to glare at things she didn't understand. Maybe us humans can learn from her.
In this pic she was glaring at my camera, as if to say "Wouldja look at that, mom bought me a new toy!"
She was a true protector, a guardian.
"Beat it."
She hated snow. Much to cold for her.
She often made weird goose/duck noises
This not so dignifying picture was taken during molting season.
"Cluck....'et?"
She was always pampered, brought into the house when we had blizzards or storms, or she was sick.
Again, I say, they were pampered.
I didn't stage this photo, they all hopped on there to get away from the snow!
"What do you mean, I can't go free ranging?"
This picture was taken 2 days ago, when she was in a acoma. Luna was very worried about her.
All we heard was heavy breathing.
Then she woke up and lived her last day to its fullest.... saying one final goodbye to her flock.
Gloria, you will always be loved by all and never forgotten.

When I woke up this morning, the song "Its to cold outside, for angels to fly" came on my radio. It reminded me that Gloria lived a good life, and that she wouldn't of been happy, like she should be, this coming winter. She's in a better place, where angels should fly.

I am so sorry for your loss. I was following all of Gloria's stories. I am very sorry to hear she is gone. But, at least she lived a good life. You gave her a wonderful home, she lived a happy life, and had everything she needed. I am sure you miss her more than we can possibly imagine. Thank you for sharing her glory with us.

Oh I am so sorry. so so so sorry. I wish there was something I could do for you. For her, for the both of you. She was/is a legand to us all here. I know how much you cared for her and spoiled her. The many tradegies you both have gone through. My heart is broken to hear of her death. I am sitting here in tears as are you and I am sure many others of us are hearing of her passing.

You gave her such a good life. She deserved it. If there is ANYTHING that we can do to help you, please let us know.

I am very very sorry.... But I had to say WOW when reading your tribute and seeing the photos - some of them I had seen before on the forum, but some were new to me. Like others have said, you gave her such a beautiful and fulfilled life, and she knew how much you loved her, for sure. It is never easy when this happens and I am sending you big virtual hugs. I have tears in my eyes but also very happy that your girl was so well taken care of, pampered and entertained. Every animals deserves such a life.